A listserv that I usually read for enjoyment has 
been tied up for two weeks now by the aftermath 
of a virtual pillow fight after one long-time 
member accused the moderator of white racism for 
being offended when he said "I hate the United 
States."

And ... no ... I'm not going to touch that 
topic on this forum ... though to be truthful 
there's been so much pompous flatulence (on both 
the YAY! and NAY! side) on this and on closely 
related topics that it's become contagious.  

I skip these threads, myself, but CA is probably 
right: we all should rein in our shock-and-awe 
tendencies, even if the target (in our omniscient 
eyes) richly deserves it.